Crystal, Natalya and Owen!

[CAuger]

Crystal: I had my second baby (15 months after my first) and had a very rough pregnancy (bleeding and ambulance rides/a week hospital stay at 25 weeks and then more bleeding the day before I delivered) They induced me and the baby was born. All was beautiful as he was our miracle baby (they told us at 25 weeks we might lose him and I was put on bed rest for the remainder of my pregnancy) About 5 days after coming home and breastfeeding wonderfully, I got major fever, chills and felt horrible -no diarrhea. I went to the ER and they gave me ultrasounds etc. but not before they gave me a nice strong dose of Clyndamycin SP)then they said I must have a uterine infection (but they were not sure really) I was sent home with 5 days of Clyndamycin by IV via home care. The nurse said to me, "This will make your stool loose but it is normal- no worries" GRRRRRRRRRR this infuriates me! Then, 2 days after the IV stopped, I was back down sick as ever, with fever, chills etc, soft stool but not diarrhea yet. I am back in the ER- they don't know what's wrong but they put me on IV CLyndymicin again.....then more ultrasounds vaginally.....they out me on Flagyl and Kephlex (SP).....then I am back in the ER 2 days later with mastitis. That ER doctor takes me off of Flagyl (I could just cry while writing this and thinking about the irony in all of this) The doc said I could breastfeed and didn't need the Flagyl and she put me on a longer dose of Kephlex and some other penicillin. Fast forward 10 days later, I am having diarrhea full force now and a yeast infection (first ever) They give me an anti-fungal pill (Fluconazol) (SP) I remember the day I started the Fluconazol and stopped the antibiotics, the yellow jelly like substance in the toilet (sorry TMI but it is relevant) Still, I am not worrying because I was told it was normal to have diarrhea. What the heck was C Diff? I had never been told or warned! GGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRR Anyways, this went on for a month over Christmas...finally on Jan 12 I went to the doc and sure enough I was majorly infected with C Diff (bad shape) They put me on 14 days of Flagyl- it only stopped the frequency but not by much. The doc then put me on 10 days of Vanco (by this point I demanded that I see a specialist) I swore I still had it after the Vanco and sure enough, one week later I was right back down. They put me on a 30 day taper of Vanco (I am currently 11 days out from that and am having once a day more formed stools) I am still holding my breath of course .....but am praying!

Natalya: My 20 month old daughter was starting to potty train throughout all of this. We are very clean and I am a germ a phobe actually. But, anyways, she must have grabbed the toilet seat and her hands wern't washed properly or something. She gets sick 1 week after me....I knew what it was! She was not on antibiotics ever in her life, but they threw her on Flagyl 14 days. (Looking back, I think she could have fought it herself because when they called in the prescription she was already getting better) But, we trust our doctors *SARCASM* It came roaring back 2 days later and we went to the ER. They put her on 10 days of Flagyl. I saw a specialist and she would only say that it is normal for kids under 2 to have this but not be symptomatic......it was very frustrating as we were not getting answers. Back to my family doc and he says (because I asked about it) to continue the Flagyl for 10 more days at a lower dose. We did, then it came back (well, this is where it gets confusing because she also tested positive for Norovirus at the same time so we don't know if C Diff was actually back - you can test positive for a time after or if it was the norovirus) The specialist at the Children's Hospital put her on 10 more days of Flagyl but 4 times a day this time (all of the other was only 3 times a day) She is day 11 out (we finished our meds on the same day) and her symptoms are wishy washy. It scares me right now but I am monitoring it because I don't want to just throw her back on more meds. I have her, as well as myself on tons of probiotics and am hoping it helps (Florastor, Culturelle, Bio-K, Udo's Choice, Keifer)

Owen: My little baby boy (now 4 months) had like 2 days when this all came out of stinky diarrhea. I put him on Udo's Choice probiotics right away and he was better within a day! I now have him on Florastor and Culturelle as well (a much lower dose of course) just for protection.
So, there you have it- please message me if you want to chat or have any questions. I am a bleach freak now and I have major anxiety over everything. I am trying to work on this. I have missed out on a lot of time with my children and I HATE C DIFF!!!!!! I also hate that doctors who really know nothing about this continue to treat you.....and I HATE HATE HATE that they don't warn you!!!!!! Things would have turned out VERY differently (ie my children would not have been affected) if I had known that this was not normal and that this even existed!!!!!!! Sorry, I am very bitter at all of those health professionals who really don't warn people and just slap around antibiotics (strong ones at that) because they don't really know what's wrong. I feel that I was abused.....

Thanks for listening, and PM me if you want- I will continue to update!

Crystal